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Paris now has a stinging caterpillars problem after major bedbug scare
The insects do not bite but their hair are like “microscopic needles or harpoons” that detach from their bodies.
Stinging caterpillars have become a big problem for Paris just weeks after a over bedbugs in France's capital. Pine processionary caterpillars travel in single file and have arrived three months earlier than usual because of unusually mild temperatures in Paris. Parts of the city have reportedly been infested by the insects. These caterpillars measure up to 4cm in length, live in groups and weave silk nests in pine and oak trees. The insects do not bite but their hair are like “microscopic needles or harpoons” that detach from their bodies. This happens when they feel threatened and travel with the wind, the French health and safety agency, said.
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The hair contain a toxic protein that can cause blisters on the skin. It can also cause many allergic reactions in adults as well as can be fatal for pets. In 2022, processionary caterpillars were designated by France as harmful to human health.
A homeowner in the northern department of Yveline said that he was forced to cut down the tree which he had planted 20 years ago after finding caterpillars in it.
“I couldn’t believe it. They came down from my pine despite the trap I set. They are devouring my tree and I am afraid for my dog," Emmanuel told Le Parisien.
In final larval stages, the caterpillars also descend along the trunk to bury themselves in the ground and transform into a chrysalis.
“It’s an invasion,” Jean-Marc Pommier, the mayor of Bonnieres-sur-Seine said, adding, “People are calling the town hall. We have entire neighbourhoods affected, we see trees covered with these horrible garlands.”
Earlier, Paris reported a major bedbug invasion that worried locals and tourists about travelling through the city.
